Antidumping Duty Investigation of Certain Passenger Vehicle and Light Truck Tires From the People's Republic of China: Amended Affirmative Preliminary Determination

Federal RegisterMar 26, 2015

Ask Donna

What actually matters in this document.

Text

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-570-016]

Antidumping Duty Investigation of Certain Passenger Vehicle and Light Truck Tires From the People's Republic of China: Amended Affirmative Preliminary Determination

AGENCY:

Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Commerce (Department) is amending the preliminarily determination of the antidumping duty (AD) investigation of certain passenger vehicle and light truck tires (passenger tires) from the People's Republic of China (PRC) to correct significant ministerial errors.

DATES:

Effective Date:

March 26, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Toni Page, Jun Jack Zhao, or Lingjun Wang, AD/CVD Operations, Office VII, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-1398, (202) 482-1396, or (202) 482-2316, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On January 27, 2015, the Department published its affirmative preliminary determination that passenger tires from the PRC are being, or are likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value, as provided by section 733 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act).

The Department disclosed the calculations performed on January 26, 2015, and set a February 2, 2015 deadline for submitting comments concerning ministerial errors.

See Certain Passenger Vehicle and Light Truck Tires from the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value; Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Critical Circumstances; In Part and Postponement of Final Determination,

80 FR 4250 (January 27, 2015) (

Preliminary Determination

The Sailun Group

and GITI

each timely filed comments alleging significant ministerial errors.

In addition, Anchi, Wanli, Federal, Changfeng, Fullrun, Fuyingxiang, Qingda, Doublestar and Doublestar-Dongfeng, and Beijing Capital each timely filed comments regarding the Department's preliminary separate rate determinations.

Jinhaoyang requested the Department to accept its supplemental documentation for the Separate Rate Application

which was opposed by the Petitioner.

Further, GITI, Doublestar and Tyrechamp, and CIC timely filed requests for correcting misspelled names.

Petitioner filed rebuttal comments and ministerial error comments on February 10, 2015.

The Sailun Group, in-turn, requested that the Department reject Petitioner's rebuttal comments.

Sailun Group Co. and its affiliates, Sailun Tire International Corp., Shandong Jinyu Industrial Co., Ltd., Jinyu International Holding Co., Limited, Seatex International Inc., Dynamic Tire Corp., Husky Tire Corp., Seatex PTE. Ltd. (collectively, the Sailun Group).

Giti Tire Global Trading Pte. Ltd., and its affiliates, Giti Tire Global Trading Pte. Ltd., Giti Tire (USA) Ltd., Giti Tire (Anhui) Company Ltd., Giti Tire (Fujian) Company Ltd., Giti Tire (Hualin) Company Ltd. (collectively, GITI).

See

Sailun Group's and GITI's February 2, 2015 letters.

See

Shandong Anchi Tyres Co., Ltd. (Anchi)'s January 28, 2015 letter, Guangzhou Wanli Tire Trading Co., Ltd. (Wanli)'s January 28, 2015 letter, Highpoint Trading, Ltd. and Federal Tire (Jiangxi), Ltd. (collectively, Federal)'s January 28, 2015 letter, Shandong Changfeng Tyres Co., Ltd. (Changfeng)'s January 30, 2015 letter, Qingdao Fullrun Tyre Corp. Ltd. (Fullrun)'s January 30, 2015 letter, Qingdao Fuyingxiang Imp. & Exp. Co., Ltd. (Fuyingxiang)'s January 31, 2015 letter, Zhejiang Qingda Rubber Co., Ltd. (Qingda)'s January 31, 2015 letter, Qingdao Doublestar Tire Industrial Co., Ltd. (Doublestar) and Doublestar-Dongfeng Tyre Co., Ltd. (Doublestar-Dongfeng)'s January 31, 2015 letter, and Beijing Capital Tire Co., Ltd. (Beijing Capital)'s February 4, 2015 letter.

See

Qingdao Jinhaoyang International Co, Ltd. (Jinhaoyang)'s February 4, 2015 letter.

See

Petitioner's February 10, 2015 letter.

See

GITI's January 26, 2015 letter, Qingdao Doublestar Tire Industrial Co., Ltd. (Doublestar)'s and Tyrechamp Group Co., Limited (Tyrechamp)'s January 23, 2015 letter, and Crown International Corporation (CIC)'s January 26, 2015 letter.

Petitioner is United Steel, Paper, and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIO, CLC.

See

Petitioner's February 10, 2015 comments.

See

Sailun Group's February 11, 2015 letter.

Scope of the Investigation

For a full description of the scope of this investigation,

see

“Scope of Investigation” at Appendix I of the

Preliminary Determination.

Analysis of Significant Ministerial Error Allegations

The Department will analyze any comments received and, if appropriate, correct any significant ministerial error by amending the preliminary determination according to 19 CFR 351.224(e). A ministerial error is defined in 19 CFR 351.224(f) as “an error in addition, subtraction, or other arithmetic function, clerical error resulting from inaccurate copying, duplication, or the like, and any other similar type of unintentional error which the Secretary considers ministerial.” Further, a significant ministerial error is defined in 19 CFR

351.224(g) as a ministerial error, the correction of which, singly or in combination with other errors, would result in: (1) A change of at least five absolute percentage points in, but not less than 25 percent of, the weighted-average dumping margin calculated in the original (erroneous) preliminary determination; or (2) a difference between a weighted-average dumping margin of zero (or

de minimis

) and a weighted-average dumping margin of greater than

de minimis,

or vice versa.

In accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(e) and (g)(1), the Department is amending the

Preliminary Determination

to reflect the corrections of a significant ministerial error in Sailun Group's margin calculation. However, the Department is not amending GITI's margin calculation because GITI's ministerial errors are not significant in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(g)(1). As a result of amending Sailun Group's margin, the Department also revised the margin for separate rate companies.

Further, the Department has corrected names for GITI, Doublestar and Tyrechamp, and CIC.

See

Memorandum to The File, “Certain Passenger Vehicle and Light Truck Tires from the People's Republic of China: Amended Separate Rate Calculation Memorandum,” dated concurrently with this notice, for the calculation performed.

Ministerial Error Allegations

For a complete analysis of the ministerial error allegations,

see

the Ministerial Error Memorandum.

See

Memorandum to Paul Piquado, Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, “Ministerial Error Memorandum for the Affirmative Preliminary Determination of the Antidumping Duty Investigation of Certain Passenger Vehicle and Light Truck Tires From the People's Republic of China,” dated concurrently with this notice, for the analysis performed (Ministerial Error Memorandum). This memorandum is on file electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to registered users at

http://access.trade.gov,

and is available to all parties in the Department's Central Records Unit in Room 7046 of the Department of Commerce building.

Correction

In the

Federal Register

notice for the

Preliminary Determination,

we incorrectly identified the following exporter-producer combinations: (1) Exporter and producer Giti Radial Tire (Anhui) Company Ltd. was mis-identified as “Giti Tire (Anhui) Company Ltd.”; (2) two of exporter Crown International Corporation's producers, Shandong Yongsheng Rubber Group Co., Ltd. and Qingdao Doublestar Tire Industrial Co., Ltd, were incorrectly listed as “Shandong Yonshong Rubber Group Co. Ltd.” and “Qingdao Doublestar Tire Industrial Co., Ltd”; and 3) exporter Tyrechamp Group Co., Limited and one of its producers, Qingdao Doublestar Tire Industrial Co., Ltd., were listed as “Tyrechamp Group Co., Ltd.” and “Qingdao Doublestar Tyre Industrial Co., Ltd.” We are correcting these exporter-producer combinations, as listed below, and will revise the cash deposit instructions that were issued to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for the preliminary determination accordingly.

Amended Preliminary Determination

We corrected the preliminary dumping margin for the Sailun Group. Consequently, we amended the preliminary separate rate for the exporter-producer combinations listed below. Further, we corrected companies' names as requested.

Exporter(s)

Producer(s)

Weighted-average dumping margin

(percent)

Giti Tire Global Trading Pte. Ltd., Giti Tire (USA) Ltd., Giti Radial Tire (Anhui) Company Ltd., Giti Tire (Fujian) Company Ltd., Giti Tire (Hualin) Company Ltd., (Collectively, GITI)

Giti Radial Tire (Anhui) Company Ltd., Giti Tire (Fujian) Company Ltd., Giti Tire (Hualin) Company Ltd

19.17

Sailun Group Co., Ltd., Sailun Tire International Corp., Shandong Jinyu Industrial Co., Ltd., Jinyu International Holding Co., Limited, Seatex International Inc., Dynamic Tire Corp., Husky Tire Corp., Seatex PTE. Ltd., (Collectively, Sailun Group)

Sailun Group Co., Ltd., Shandong Jinyu Industrial Co., Ltd

18.58

Cooper Tire & Rubber Company

Cooper Chengshan (Shandong) Tire Co., Ltd., Cooper (Kunshan) Tire Co., Ltd

18.99

Cooper Chengshan (Shandong) Tire Co., Ltd

18.99

Cooper (Kunshan) Tire Co., Ltd

18.99

Best Choice International Trade Co., Limited

Qingdao Sentury Tire Co., Ltd., Shandong Haohua Tire Co., Ltd., Beijing Capital Tire Co., Ltd

18.99

Bridgestone (Wuxi) Tire Co., Ltd

18.99

Bridgestone Corporation

Bridgestone (Wuxi) Tire Co., Ltd

18.99

Cheng Shin Tire & Rubber (China) Co., Ltd

Cheng Shin Tire & Rubber (China) Co., Ltd., Cheng Shin Tire & Rubber (Chongqing) Co., Ltd

18.99

Crown International Corporation

Shandong Guofeng Rubber Plastics Co., Ltd., Shandong Haohua Tire Co., Ltd., Shandong Jinyu Industrial Co., Ltd., Doublestar-Dongfeng Tyre Co., Ltd., Shandong Yongsheng Rubber Group Co., Ltd., Shengtai Group Co., Ltd., Qingdao Doublestar Tire Industrial Co., Ltd., Shandong Yongtai Chemical Co., Ltd

18.99

Goodyear Dalian Tire Company Limited

18.99

Guangzhou Pearl River Rubber Tyre Ltd

18.99

Hankook Tire China Co., Ltd

18.99

Hebei Tianrui Rubber Co., Ltd

18.99

Hong Kong Tiancheng Investment & Trading Co., Limited

Shandong Linglong Tyre Co., Ltd

18.99

Hong Kong Tri-Ace Tire Co., Limited

Shandong Yongtai Chemical Co., Ltd., Doublestar-Dongfeng Tyre Co., Ltd

18.99

Hwa Fong Rubber (Hong Kong) Ltd

Hwa Fong Rubber (Suzhou) Co., Ltd

18.99

Jiangsu Hankook Tire Co., Ltd

18.99

Kenda Rubber (China) Co., Ltd

18.99

Kumho Tire Co., Inc

Kumho Tire (Tianjin) Co., Inc., Nanjing Kumho Tire Co., Ltd., Kumho Tire (Changchun) Co., Inc

18.99

Liaoning Permanent Tyre Co., Ltd

18.99

Longkou Xinglong Tyre Co., Ltd

18.99

Mayrun Tyre (Hong Kong) Limited

South China Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd., Shandong Haohua Tire Co., Ltd

18.99

Nankang (Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone) Rubber Industrial Co., Ltd

18.99

Pirelli Tyre Co., Ltd

18.99

Qingdao Nama Industrial Co., Ltd

Shandong Guofeng Rubber Plastics Co., Ltd., Shandong Hengyu Science & Technology Co., Ltd., Shandong Longyue Rubber Co., Ltd., Shandong Haohua Tire Co., Ltd., Shouguang Firemax Tyre Co., Ltd., Shandong Zhongyi Rubber Co., Ltd., Shandong Yonking Rubber Co., Ltd., Shandong Hongsheng Rubber Technology Co., Ltd

18.99

Qingdao Au-Shine Group Co., Limited

Shandong Gulun Rubber Co., Ltd

18.99

Qingdao Crown Chemical Co., Ltd

Shandong Guofeng Rubber Plastics Co., Ltd., Shandong Haohua Tire Co., Ltd., Shandong Jinyu Industrial Co., Ltd., Doublestar-Dongfeng Tyre Co., Ltd., Shandong Yongsheng Rubber Group Co., Ltd

18.99

Qingdao Free Trade Zone Full-World International Trading Co., Ltd

Shandong Zhentai Group Co., Ltd., Longkou Xinglong Tyre Co., Ltd., Hebei Tianrui Rubber Co., Ltd

18.99

Qingdao Fullrun Tyre Tech Corp., Ltd

18.99

Qingdao Honghua Tyre Factory

18.99

Qingdao Nexen Tire Corporation

18.99

Qingdao Odyking Tyre Co., Ltd

Doublestar-Dongfeng Tyre Co., Ltd., Shandong Fengyuan Tire Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Shouguang Firemax Tyre Co., Ltd

18.99

Qingdao Qianzhen Tyre Co., Ltd

18.99

Qingdao Qihang Tyre Co., Ltd

18.99

Qingdao Qizhou Rubber Co., Ltd

18.99

Qingdao Sentury Tire Co., Ltd

18.99

Shandong Duratti Rubber Corporation Co., Ltd

18.99

Shandong Fengyuan Tire Manufacturing Co., Ltd

18.99

Shandong Guofeng Rubber Plastics Co., Ltd

18.99

Shandong Haohua Tire Co., Ltd

18.99

Shandong Haolong Rubber Tire Co., Ltd

18.99

Shandong Hawk International Rubber Industry Co., Ltd

18.99

Shandong Hengyu Science & Technology Co., Ltd

18.99

Shandong Linglong Tyre Co., Ltd

18.99

Shandong Longyue Rubber Co., Ltd

18.99

Shandong New Continent Tire Co., Ltd

18.99

Shandong Province Sanli Tire Manufactured Co., Ltd

18.99

Shandong Shuangwang Rubber Co., Ltd

18.99

Shandong Wanda Boto Tyre Co., Ltd

18.99

Shandong Yongtai Chemical Co., Ltd

18.99

Shandong Zhongyi Rubber Co., Ltd

18.99

Shandong Huitong Tyre Co., Ltd

Shandong Huitong Tyre Co., Ltd., Laiwu Sunshine Tyre Co., Ltd

18.99

Shengtai Group Co., Ltd

Shengtai Group Co., Ltd., Shandong Shengshitailai Rubber Technology Co., Ltd

18.99

Shifeng Juxing Tire Co., Ltd

18.99

Shouguang Firemax Tyre Co., Ltd

18.99

Southeast Mariner International Co., Ltd

Dongying Zhongyi Rubber Co., Ltd., Shandong Haohua Tire Co., Ltd

18.99

Techking Tires Limited

Shandong Longyue Rubber Co., Ltd

18.99

Toyo Tire (Zhangjiagang) Co., Ltd

18.99

Triangle Tyre Co., Ltd

18.99

Tyrechamp Group Co., Limited

Shandong Haohua Tire Co., Ltd., Sichuan Tyre&Rubber Co., Ltd., Shandong Anchi Tyres Co., Ltd., Beijing Capital Tire Co. Ltd., Shandong Wanda Boto Tyre Co., Ltd., Shandong Wosen Rubber Co., Ltd., Shandong Zhentai Group Co., Ltd., Shandong Yonking Rubber Co., Ltd., Qingdao Doublestar Tire Industrial Co., Ltd., South China Tire & Rubber Co. Ltd., Anhui Heding Tire Technology Co., Ltd

18.99

Weihai Ping'an Tyre Co., Ltd

18.99

Weihai Zhongwei Rubber Co., Ltd

18.99

Wendeng Sanfeng Tyre Co., Ltd

18.99

Winrun Tyre Co., Ltd

Shaanxi Yanchang Petroleum Group Rubber Co. Ltd

18.99

Zenith Holdings (HK) Limited

Shandong Linglong Tyre Co., Ltd

18.99

Zhaoqing Junhong Co., Ltd

18.99

Amended Cash Deposits and Suspension of Liquidation

The collection of cash deposits and suspension of liquidation will be revised according to the rates calculated in this amended preliminary determination. Because the amended rates for the Sailun Group and separate rate companies results in reduced cash deposits, the rate for Sailun Group will be effective retroactively to January 27, 2015, the date of publication of the

Preliminary Determination,

and the rate for separate rate companies will be effective retroactively to October 29, 2014, which is 90 days before the date of publication of the

Preliminary Determination.

Parties will be notified of this determination, in accordance with sections 733(d) and (f) of the Act.

International Trade Commission Notification

In accordance with section 733(f) of the Act, we notified the International Trade Commission of our amended preliminary determination.

Notification to Interested Parties

The Department intends to disclose calculations performed in connection with this amended preliminary determination within five days of the date of publication of this notice in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).

This amended preliminary determination is issued and published in accordance with sections 733(f) and 777(i)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.224(e).

Dated: March 18, 2015.

Paul Piquado,

Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

[FR Doc. 2015-06955 Filed 3-25-15; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.